


the white wolf

by montecarlos



Series: Howl [6]
Category: GP2 RPF
Genre: Action/Adventure, Blood, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Werewolves, shifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 15:12:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8061310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/montecarlos/pseuds/montecarlos
Summary: However, it’s not the blood that makes his heart stop, it’s the eyes. They’re familiar, bright blue ones that he hasn’t seen for years. “Ollie?” He bites out in disbelief, taking in the sight of the young man before him, the young man who used to be his best friend. Meet the white wolf.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This fic would not have been possible without my wives, so thank you for inspiring me so much ladies. You mean the world to me. Jamie and I have touched on this - but this fic is the true introduction of Oliver Rowland into this world. He's going to be very important in the future and I really enjoyed writing him. I also am excited to finally bring a female wolf into the series - Victoria is Oliver's real life girlfriend and I really wanted to use her in the story. This takes place before Send Them Off which Jamie posted this morning.
> 
> Enjoy! :)

Pierre usually sleeps quite well, tucked up underneath Stoffel’s arm, the beta snoring against his ear. However, there’s something wrong about tonight. Something hangs in the air - something doesn’t seem quite right - Pierre feels his wolf brush against his chest, fights to get out. He glances out of the window, at the moon leaving a faint silvery glow over the bedsheets. He hears a noise - something that doesn’t sound like Antonio raiding the fridge at 4am for leftover pizza, something that doesn’t sound like Mitch going to the bathroom. Stoffel shifts against him, pulls him closer, snuffling into his ear - muttering something about cheese on toast. Pierre cocks his head, listens out for the noise once more. He tries to tell himself that it’s one of the pack - that Sean has insomnia again and is playing Mario Kart downstairs with a sleepy Antonio in his lap, that Richie is staggering through the door in the early hours of the morning with a kebab. However, the feeling remains - brushing against his chest - wrong, wrong, wrong. He hears it again, listens out for Alex who is usually first to wake up when his pack is in need. But the bond between himself and Alex remains quiet - the calmness drops over the thread - Alex is still flat out, exhausted from the sex he and Mitch were having earlier.  
  
Pierre shifts away from Stoffel slowly, smiling as the beta whines against him. His arms tighten around Pierre, almost willing him to stay where he is. Pierre however, hears the noise again and stiffens against his beta who huffs against his skin. He finally manages to shift out from underneath Stoffel who huffs grumpily at his alpha’s absence, rolling over and taking the bedcovers with him. Pierre looks down fondly at his beta, at his mate fast asleep in their bed, at his long and dark eyelashes, at his pale freckled skin shining in the moonlight. Taking a deep breath, he slowly walks over to the door. It’s only when he’s turning the door handle that he realises that his claws are out - ready to protect if necessary. He glances at Stoffel one last time, hidden amongst the bedsheets, still fast asleep. He notices that Sean and Antonio’s door is closed as he prepares to climb the stairs. He knows what that means - that they’re fast asleep. They never close their bedroom door unless they’re asleep inside.  
  
He climbs the stairs carefully - taking them one at a time slowly and carefully, trying to keep his breathing steady. He reasons that it’s probably Richie or Mitch awake in the kitchen making one of their awful protein shakes again. However, something doesn’t smell right. There’s a new scent hanging in the air. Pierre smells the blood before he sees it - his eyes ghosting over the droplets of blood shining on the thick carpet.  
  
“Fuck,” He whispers under his breath, wondering if Richie has even made it home, the banshee usually staggering in in the early hours of the morning. Pierre tries not to think about Richie staggering in with a knife in his gut, with glass sticking out of his face as he follows the direction of the blood, panic seizing in his chest.  
  
“Richie-” He calls out as he enters the kitchen, eyes roving around the large room, prepared for anything, prepared to see Richie slumped over somewhere. However, he’s not prepared for the sight that greets his eyes. There’s a young man collapsed over by their enormous fridge, the pool of blood slowly blossoming around him. However, it’s not the blood that makes his heart stop, it’s the eyes. They’re familiar, bright blue ones that he hasn’t seen for years.  
  
“Ollie?” He bites out in disbelief, taking in the sight of the young man before him, the young man who used to be his best friend.  
  
The man coughs once, it’s wet and Pierre can hear it sucking against his chest - his bright blue eyes turn to Pierre. “Long time no see, P,” He says, grinning, his teeth covered in blood. “I need your help…”  
  
“What are you doing here?” Pierre asks, dropping down in front of Oliver, his eyes roving over the blood covering his abdomen. “Why are you here? What happened to you?” He cups Oliver’s cheek gently, watches the blonde man lean into his touch.  
  
“I’m sorry, I had nowhere else to go-” Oliver says weakly, coughing once more, leaning into Pierre’s hand. “I need help-” He whispers, his hand reaching out to grasp Pierre’s.  
  
However, he’s interrupted by a low growl. Pierre turns his head to see Alex standing in the doorway, eyes glowing a dark and deep scarlet. “Don’t touch my packmate, Rowland,” He snarls, looking furious. His hands are curved into fists, claws glinting in the pale moonlight, face lit with anger.  
  
“Alex-” Pierre begins but Alex pays him no notice.  
  
“Sorry to impede on your territory, Lexy,” Oliver mutters, another cough wracking his body.  
  
“Wait, you know him?” Pierre asks, turning confused eyes to his fellow alpha who still radiates fury - Pierre can feel the anger tugging on their bond, can feel the confusion and the hurt as Alex feels Pierre’s familiarity to this strange man in their kitchen.  
  
“Of course I bloody know him,” Alex snarls, eyes still fixed on Oliver. “Everyone knows him,” His eyes flash darker scarlet. “What have you done this time, Rowland? Which hunters have you pissed off this time?”  
  
Oliver grins at Alex for a moment before he turns pale, his body twisting in agony as he slumps further against Pierre. “What? What’s happening?” Pierre says, looking at his best friend in worry, Oliver arching up against him, his scream tearing through the silence. His eyes slowly begin to fade from bright blue to a familiar colour - the colour of an alpha’s eyes.  
  
“No, no, James!” Oliver screams out, his eyes flashing between blue and red - the pain is evident in his twisted face as Pierre tries to hold onto him, Oliver’s fingernails morphing into claws before his eyes. “No!” Oliver screams again but it comes out as more of a howl - a howl of mourning, Pierre recognises - as he twists in Pierre’s arms.  
  
“Oh, shit,” Alex whispers, his face is chalk white, his scarlet eyes fixed on Oliver’s pale arm. Pierre watches in horror as a dark mark appears to sear itself into his skin - there’s two already on his arm, bright red edges around each dark mark. They look painful, Pierre notes, as Oliver screams out, tears falling down his cheeks, his head sinking against the young alpha as though in submission. He goes silent against Pierre who looks at him with worry, looks down at the mark seared into Oliver’s skin. He feels someone’s arm try to pull Oliver away. His eyes immediately turn scarlet, a hiss pulls itself from his lips, his fangs pushing through his gums.  
  
“Hey, hey,” Alex says, trying to keep his voice steady. “It’s only me,”  
  
Pierre holds Oliver tighter, his arms tightening over the fallen older man, Oliver’s head lolling against Pierre’s chest. His fangs still press past his lips, his eyes still shining. He doesn’t know why but he feels the flood of protect - of wanting no harm to come to the alpha in his arms.  
  
“Pierre,” Alex tries again, his alpha tone more evident. “I’m not going to hurt him,”  
  
“What’s happening to him?” Pierre asks, looking down at Oliver who still hasn’t moved, his eyes closed, his face twisted with pain.  
  
“He….” Alex pauses for a moment, looking down at the alpha, a strange expression curling over his face. “Those aren’t ordinary marks on his arm. Those are detrimentum marks,”  
  
“What-” Pierre begins, his hand moving to brush back the hair that’s fallen across Oliver’s forehead. “What are those, why is he-”  
  
“Detrimentum marks only occur when an alpha loses one of his packmates,” Alex says sadly.  
  
Pierre feels the panic surge in his chest, the nausea twists in his stomach. “He’s lost his packmates? He’s lost more than one?” He whispers, shaking his head.  
  
“He’s lost at least three,” Alex says, looking like he’s going to be sick. “We have to move him,”  
  
“We can’t move him anywhere, he’s lost too much blood,” Pierre says, looking down at the alpha in his arms. “He’s too weak,”  
  
“He’s going to go rabid, pear,” Alex says sadly. “Losing one packmate is enough to send an alpha over the edge, he might not survive this,” His eyes dance over the scratches up and down Oliver’s arms, over the wound still bleeding sluggishly.  
  
“We have to do something,” Pierre says, worrying his lip.  
  
“What’s going on?” Mitch’s voice cuts through the silence. Alex’s mate stands in the doorway, rubbing his eyes as he glances down at the bloodied man in Pierre’s arms.  
  
“Mitch, go upstairs now,” Alex says, slowly.  
  
Pierre can sense the anger in his alpha’s voice, he knows that Mitch must sense it too - Alex doesn’t want Oliver anywhere near his mate and that’s understandable - alphas want to keep their mates away from other alphas. “Now,” He presses again and Mitch lets out a heavy sigh, letting his mate know that he’s not happy with this arrangement. Alex’s shoulder slowly lower as Mitch leaves the room, his footsteps slowly making their way up the stairs. Pierre can sense Stoffel - he’s awake, probing their bond, tentatively asking what is going on. However, before Pierre can send any information through their bond, Oliver arches against him again, his eyes flashing bright scarlet.  
  
Pierre feels his hands tighten on him, tries to ignore the spike of pain that dances through his chest. He wonders why Oliver never told him that he was a wolf - it’s evident from the power eluding weakly from the alpha that he’s been one for a long time. But the pain fades away as Oliver lets out another shattering scream, his fangs pushing through his gums as tears fall down his cheeks.  
  
“No, no, Sam! Please!” Oliver screams out.  
  
Pierre hears Alex curse, his face turning whiter than it already was as the two alphas look down to see another mark slowly searing itself into his skin. The dark mark looks painful, the edges tearing through Oliver’s pale freckled skin as he sobs. He wrenches against Pierre’s hold, snarling, his eyes flashing between the bright blue he knows so well and the deep, dark red of an alpha. He erupts into a stream of howls - howling quickly in short, sharp successions. Pierre recognises them immediately as summoning howls. Oliver’s eyes glow in the dim light of the kitchen, his howls becoming more frantic, spittle dripping from his elongated fangs.  
  
“Oliver!” Pierre calls out, screaming out his name as he watches Oliver’s eyes turn blood red, a snarl ripping past his lips. Oliver twists in his hold, snapping his jaws at Pierre who stops for a moment, unable to believe that this was his old friend, that he’s in Pierre’s arms. He can’t believe that he’s a wolf - an alpha at that - a half rabid wolf frothing at the mouth, the dark marks seared into his arm, a permanent reminder of what he has lost.  
  
“Pierre!” Alex snaps and Pierre feels his fellow alpha pin Oliver down on the other side, strong arms curving around the struggling alpha. “We have to get him to Fernando’s - he’s probably going to summon the hunters here-”  
  
“But-” Pierre says, looking down at Oliver, still fighting against their grip, snapping at Alex’s hand. Alex snarls at him, fixing him with scarlet eyes. Usually when Alex pulls rank on his pack or on another alpha like that, they back down. Oliver doesn’t, however. He doesn’t even flinch, eyes still fixed on Alex. Blood smears all over Alex’s hands as he grits his teeth.  
  
“I can’t protect our pack from hunters, Pear,” Alex says softly, looking down at the floor. His voice is quiet, full of self-loathing - Pierre knows that he hates himself for not being able to protect them, not fully - they’re both still young alphas. They still require protection and guidance from Fernando’s pack. “We have to take him to the elders, they can protect our pack. Fernando will probably be able to help him more than we can. We can heal his physical wounds but not his psychological ones-”  
  
Oliver arches his back and lets out another howl. Pierre feels it twist through his bones, knows that it will haunt his nightmares for years to come.  


* * *

  
  
Sean ends up driving Antonio and Mitch out ahead to warn Fernando - Alex isn’t comfortable at all with having Antonio and Mitch anywhere near a half-rabid alpha, even one as weak as Oliver. They decided between them that Stoffel is their best choice to drive whilst they try and placate Oliver in the back seat.  The rest of the the pack reluctantly climb into the car and Pierre doesn’t feel Alex’s heart slow down until the Aston Martin slides down the driveway. Pierre and Alex manage to wrestle the rabid were into the back of Stoffel’s shitty car - covering him with blankets that thankfully are freshly laundered and therefore, have no pack scent on them. They manage to pin down the still snarling were, his eyes flashing dark red, a growl brushing from between his lips as Stoffel starts the car.  
  
Time seems to pass slowly as they begin the drive to Fernando’s house - Oliver is still fighting against them, still snarling in the blankets, weak growls tearing themselves from his throat. Alex however, remains silent, his eyes flashing in the dim moonlight as he grits his teeth, fights to keep Oliver sated underneath his hands. He furrows his brow in confusion - he didn’t think that the alpha would have any energy left after losing so many packmates. However, the thought soon leaves his mind as they pass through into Fernando’s territory - the panic slowly dissipates from Alex’s chest - he can feel the powerful protection closing over them, can feel the seals and the spells that Fernando has established over the edges of his boundaries take hold. Oliver doesn’t settle however, he lets out another howl from between spittle covered lips, his eyes still shining. Alex pretends not to notice Stoffel’s heartbeat jumping up a little, his feet easing down on the acceleration pedal.  
  
Alex’s heart-rate doesn’t ease up until he sees Fernando’s house rise up in the distance. He can see his Aston Martin already parked in the driveway - knows that Sean has probably broken several speed laws to get it there. Stoffel presses down on the accelerator as they move closer and closer towards the house. Oliver seems quiet against the blankets, sated for now - though the blood still seeping through the blankets makes Alex and Pierre exchange worried glances. He barely moves against them as Stoffel finally brings the car to a halt and the door is immediately opened by Fernando, wrapped up in his pyjamas, Jenson hovering in the background with Sean, Antonio and Mitch close by.  
  
“Oliver,” He says softly as he glances at the blankets that have fallen away from the young man’s face, his eyes are closed and his features filled with pain. “What happened?” His dark red eyes immediately turn to Alex.  
  
“Hunters, we think. They’ve murdered half of his pack by the looks of things. He’s got at least three detrimentum marks,”

  
Fernando curses under his breath. “Bring him inside,” He mutters as Alex picks up the loose body of Oliver, the man slumps against the alpha’s chest and Pierre has to bite back a whine. Alex says nothing as he slowly walks over to the front door to Fernando’s house - he’s been there many a time before for alpha meetings, sometimes with the man slumped in his arms - but never like this, never to help another alpha. Alex gazes at the dark marks that have sunk into Oliver’s arms and wonders of the pain and anguish that the alpha must be going through. He doesn’t really know the alpha, never has seen another side of him apart from the flirtatious and outgoing alpha who calls him “Sexy Lexy” at pack meetings. He barely shudders as Alex gently lays him down on Fernando’s table. Oliver’s chest barely rises and falls as Fernando pulls away the blankets, wincing. He peels away Oliver’s half shredded clothes from his sticky blood-covered skin, scarlet eyes roving over the wounds.  
  
“He’s lucky,” He says quietly. “Hunters only managed to get two silver bullets in him,”  
  
Silence draws over the room as Fernando continues examining Oliver carefully, eyes stopping on the four dark marks seared into the underside of Oliver’s arm. He curses under his breath again, taking in the sight of them with sorrowful eyes.  
  
“It’s a miracle he is still alive,” Fernando says softly, emotion tinging his voice. “Over half of his pack have been wiped out. He may not survive the night,”

  
“Why?” Antonio pipes up, his green eyes full of confusion.  
  
“When you form a bond with another wolf, that connection stays with you for as long as you live, you all know this, you all have marks,” Fernando begins, watching the young beta’s hand rub over the golden scar that marks him out of one of the Lynn-Gasly pack. “But when a wolf dies before they’re supposed to, that bond shatters and for their alpha, a permanent reminder is etched onto the skin,” He slowly rolls up his own sleeve and on his arm sits a dark mark, still looking sore and as fresh as Oliver’s.  
  
“What does it feel like?” Alex finds himself asking.  
  
“Like the worst pain imaginable, like a thousand knives sticking into you, like pain you’ve never experienced before. You try and hold onto the bond but it’s no use-” Fernando’s finger traces over the mark. “I would not wish such pain on my greatest enemy,”  
  
However, as Alex is about to press Fernando some more about the intricacies of the bond, Oliver twists against the table, his eyes snapping open. They’re still the dark scarlet they were before, his fangs still elongated, spittle clinging to them. Fernando immediately snaps to attention, his hands closing over Oliver’s wrists as the alpha fights once more, screaming at the top of his lungs. His back arches as the pain presses over his features, Fernando looking in horror as another mark sears itself into Oliver’s skin next to the others.  
  
“No, no, no!” Oliver sobs, half screaming as tears fall down his cheeks, the pain overwhelming. The mark sears into his skin, the edges blackening as Oliver screams over and over again, tries to take hold of the pain.  
  
“Oliver!” Fernando cries out, gritting his teeth as he tries to placate the alpha, tries to send some soothing energy down into the alpha squirming back and forth in pain. Oliver lets out a long, low howl one more time before he begins to shift fully under Fernando’s arms. Alex watches the older alpha’s mouth fall open as Oliver shifts before his eyes - stripes of bright white fur spring up as Oliver’s nose elongates, his fingernails shifting into claws. The scratches disappear, giving way to fur as Oliver heals the superficial wounds himself. He whines after his transformation, slumping against the blankets, his eyes slowly closing.  
  
“I don’t believe it-” Fernando whispers, blinking once and staring at Oliver’s wolf form. “He’s a-a-”  
  
“He’s beautiful,” Antonio comments quietly, his eyes looking at Oliver’s beautiful white coat shining in the bright light of Fernando’s room. He certainly doesn’t look like any wolf he’s seen before.  
  
“A white wolf,” Fernando mutters. “I don’t believe it,”  
  
“He’s a white wolf?” Alex pipes up, breaking a silence as he glances at the wolf still slumped against the blankets. “Why is that a big deal? I bet there’s loads of white wolves-”  
  
“How many white wolves have you ever seen, Alexander?” Fernando asks, quirking an eyebrow at the young alpha.  
  
Alex frowns, tries to think of a time he’s seen a white wolf. He’s seen plenty of blonde ones, plenty of golden ones but he can’t think of a time he’s seen a pure white wolf. “I haven’t…but I am sure they exist. He’s white, why is that important?”

  
“We were told of the white wolf legend,” Stoffel pipes up, he’s standing by Antonio and Mitch, eyes locked on Oliver. “The white wolf represents compassion, care, strength and selflessness. We were taught as hunters to respect them above all other wolves, as they were the strongest and the wisest,”  
  
“Rowland? Strong and wise?” Alex snorts. “Try coming to alpha meetings when he’s flirting with you constantly-”  
  
“But we were also told of the black wolf, he who has courage, tenacity, fearlessness, strong will and strategic thinking,” Stoffel continues, eyes still on the white wolf. “We were told it was merely a legend, that such creatures did not exist since they would hold great power,”  
  
“Because he’s white?” Alex questions, unconvinced.  
  
“White wolves don’t occur that often,” Fernando says, his scarlet eyes on the young alpha. “They’re incredibly rare. I always wondered why we never saw young Oliver in his wolf form and why he always managed to have hunters after him,”  
  
“Why would they attract hunters?” Antonio asks, confused.  
  
“White wolves are a rare prize,” Stoffel answers. “The legend says if a white wolf and their pack were killed, it would bring luck and prosperity to the hunters. Many of the hunters around here believe that they have powers far beyond what normal weres are capable of,”  
  
Pierre looks down at the white wolf with wide eyes. “He’s powerful-”  
  
“He hid it well,” Fernando says as he pokes over Oliver’s bright white flank. “He knew of his power,” Oliver twists against his hold, whining under his breath, the bright red blood stark against his coat.  
  
He doesn’t miss the narrowed eyes of Alex focused on Pierre, who has one of his hands still fisted into Oliver’s fur, his scarlet eyes never leaving the large wolf.  


* * *

  
  
Removing the bullets from Oliver is an easier task than Fernando anticipated.The white wolf barely stirs from the table he’s been placed on - Fernando finds the job quite easy, the bullets are not buried that deep and have already begun pushing themselves to the surface. He ushers the rest of the pack out of the room, sends orders through his bond to Jenson to fix them up with hot tea and biscuits. However, he can’t make a certain alpha leave. Pierre remains where he is, his hand fixed to Oliver’s white fur, eyes locked on the still wolf.  
  
“Pierre,” Alex says, breaking the silence, eyes fixed on his fellow alpha. He stands in the doorway, Jenson lingering behind him.  
  
“I’m not leaving him, Alex,” Pierre says, not looking up.  
  
“Our pack needs you right now,” Alex’s voice is strained.  
  
“No, he needs me right now, he doesn’t have a pack anymore,” Pierre says. “I lost him once, I won’t lose him again,”  
  
“Pierre, he needs to rest,” Alex says, no emotion in his voice. “And we need you, our pack needs you,”  
  
“He might die, Alex,” Pierre snaps, eyes flashing red as his lips curve into a snarl. “He might die and all you’re concerned about is the pack!”  
  
“ _Your pack_ , Pierre!” Alex hisses quietly. “You know, your pack, your family, the people who have stuck with you through everything! And you’re throwing us away for him! Some alpha you don’t even know!”  
  
“He’s not just some alpha, Alex!” Pierre snarls back, his hand still fisted into Oliver’s fur. “He’s lost his entire pack, he might not survive the night. He was my best friend, the least I could do is comfort him, provide him some love if this is his last night on earth,”  
  
“Pierre-” Alex growls, trying to pull rank on his fellow alpha.  
  
“Don’t you fucking dare, Alex!” Pierre hisses, eyes flashing. “Don’t you dare try and pull rank on me. He’s my best friend, I’ve known him longer than I’ve known you, I’ve known Oliver since I was a human-”  
  
“But you’re not a human anymore,” Alex snaps. “You’re an Alpha. You have to start acting like one, Pierre-”  
  
“Alexander, that’s enough,” Jenson says quietly, tugging the alpha out of the room. Pierre watches him leave for a moment, feels the tears prick in the corners of his eyes before Oliver whimpers in the blankets.  
  
“It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m here,” He whispers, hands stroking over the soft white fur, eyes roving over the dark stitches sitting over Oliver’s furry belly. “I’m here, now, Oliver,” He continues as he drops his face to rest against Oliver’s soft fur, his eyes slowly closing.  
  
“I’m here,” He whispers one more time as he slumps against the white wolf.  


* * *

  
  
Fernando pulls off his gloves and sinks against the wall, sighing heavily as he feels Jenson’s presence behind him.  
  
“Alexander isn’t happy, I see,” Fernando says, feeling the annoyance and anger fill the back end of their house, where the younger pack usually go in the evenings.  
  
“Pierre is staying with Oliver,” Jenson says quietly. “Alex took it about as well as you expected,”  
  
“I did not know that Pierre and Oliver knew each other,” Fernando says, sinking into one of the armchairs. He grabs the glass of bourbon that is still sitting on the table and knocks it back in one gulp, sinking into the cushions. “I knew that Alexander was not fond of Oliver, but I didn’t anticipate that Pierre would become involved,”  
  
“They knew each other as children apparently, when Pierre was a human,” Jenson says.

Fernando raises an eyebrow. “Their bond is already established, interesting. But I fear our lives just got harder, I can feel it,”  
  
“Why?” Jenson asks, brow furrowed.  
  
“Of all the young alphas, I did not expect it to be _those two_ ,” Fernando says, pinching his temple.  
  
“The black wolf and the white wolf?”  
  
Fernando nods.  
  
“We thought we was just a legend,” Jenson says. “I can’t believe the white wolf exists - remember when you nearly shit yourself when you saw Alex’s form?”  
  
Fernando looks nonplussed. “I never thought it would happen...black wolves are easier to protect than white ones. Black ones appear more commonly in hunter lore…it was hard enough to protect Alexander. Oliver will be more difficult, I fear,”  
  
“Because he’s highly prized?”  
  
Fernando shoots his mate a look. “Because you know Oliver as well as I do, we’ve nursed him since he was a pup. You know that he and Alexander like to attract trouble,”  
  
“We did the same when we were their age, Fer,”  
  
“Why is it two kids who hate each other, Jenson?” Fernando asks, slumping against the cushion.  
  
“You think they won’t bond?” Jenson raises an eyebrow.  
  
“Oh...they will bond….the bond was forming in that room, Jense,” Fernando says, fingers dancing over his empty crystal glass. “Alexander will take some time, but his pack will wear him down-”  
  
“Pierre will wear him down, you mean,” Jenson says.  
  
“They’ve always been his weak spot,” Fernando says, watching the fire, feeling the bond between Alex and Oliver slowly begin to form, strand by strand. “Pack always comes first to Alexander,”  


* * *

  
  
Pierre feels the nudge of something against his brain - feels someone probing at the bond inside his mind and jolts awake, his eyes meeting bright blue ones. Oliver looks a little brighter than he did, there’s a little more colour in his cheeks.  
  
“P,” He says softly, eyes wide and fixed on the smaller Alpha. “You...you’re here,”  
  
“Of course I am,” Pierre says, biting back a yawn. “I wouldn’t leave you,” He whispers quietly. Silence stretches out between them for a moment, lapping over the two alphas, sinking into the corners of the room. “Why didn’t you tell me?”  
  
“I didn’t want to push you into this world...I’m sorry,” Oliver looks down at the floor. “I didn’t want you to get hurt,”  
  
“You left, you left me on that night,” Pierre says, biting his lip, his hand finding Oliver’s.  
  
“I thought you were dead, they told us there were no survivors. I thought you’d died, P,” Oliver whispers, his eyes are glassy.  
  
“I’m right here,” Pierre says, shaking his head. “I’m still here,”  
  
“Yet, you’re an alpha. How did that happen?” Oliver asks, his hands cupping Pierre’s cheeks. “Who did this to you?”  
  
“Bernie,” Pierre can’t look into those eyes, those trusting blue eyes that he used to look into, the ones that used to make him feel safe, the ones that he would turn to when he’d wake up screaming from his night terrors, when even Alex could not calm him.  
  
“I’ll kill him,” Oliver growls, his eyes turning red.  
  
“He’s dead,” Pierre says quickly. “He died,” He diverts his eyes. “And well, thankfully, I met Alex,”  
  
“Lexy?” Oliver raises an eyebrow. “Wait, you’re the other alpha that he talks about at the meetings? That’s _you_ ?”  
  
Pierre feels the blush dance over his cheeks. “Yeah, I’m the co-alpha of our pack, people think it’s weird but it works for us,”  
  
“I don’t think it’s weird,” Oliver says quietly, blue eyes still fixed on his best friend. “I think it’s interesting, fascinating even that you all manage to get on in spite of the circumstances,”  
  
“Alex is the fiery one, the one who would stop at nothing to defend the pack. He’s more of an alpha really-”  
  
“Hey, I’m sure you’re just as much of an alpha as Lexy is, P,” Oliver says, his voice is earnest. “You seem like the one who sits back and analyses something before you make a decision. You’re a good foil to him,”  
  
Pierre bites down on his lip. He can feel Alex’s frustration, can feel his alpha’s pull on their bond, knows that the alpha is outside the door. Oliver’s hand gently finds Pierre’s cheek - the fingers curve over towards his neck, his blue eyes fixed not on the gold scar that marks him out as one of Alex’s pack, but the shimmering rose-gold mark that matches the one on Stoffel’s neck. Oliver takes a deep exhale, as though he’s in pain.  
  
“You...you’re mated,” He whispers, his eyes full of hurt.  
  
Pierre opens his mouth to answer, but he’s hit with a wave of anger from Stoffel. He can sense his mate outside the door, a low growl hanging in the air as Oliver’s fingers graze over the mark. “I can’t believe you’re mated-”  
  
“Oliver, I-” Pierre begins but he’s interrupted as Fernando enters the room. “Perrito,” He says, red eyes locked on Pierre. “I must speak with Oliver, alone,”  
  
Pierre opens his mouth to protest but Fernando holds out a hand as though to silence the young alpha. “Alexander wishes to speak to you too,”  
  
Pierre reluctantly pulls away from Oliver, his eyes locking on the other alphas for a moment before he meets Fernando’s eyes. The older alpha waits for the door to close. Silence stretches out into the darkness, the moonlight shines onto Fernando’s face, lighting up his eyes.  
  
“Go on then, I’m ready for your lecture,” Oliver huffs, narrowing his eyes at the older alpha.  
  
“I am not here to lecture you, joven,” Fernando says softly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”  
  
Oliver looks down at the floor.  
  
“Were you ashamed of what you were?” Fernando asks, his eyes softening to brown.  
  
“No!” Oliver growls out, his head sinking back down to the pillow. “I just...I knew of the power I had. My parents died protecting me, they told me to trust no one...anybody else would just want my power,”  
  
“I assume you knew about Alexander,” Fernando mutters quietly. “That he was a-”  
  
“I knew of Alexander’s true status, yes,” Oliver grounds out - his eyes are like small chips of ice, it’s the most serious that Fernando has ever seen the alpha. “I never wanted anyone to know what I was,”  
  
“You’re powerful,” Fernando says quietly. “You’re more powerful than me. You’re one of the rarest creatures in the world, yet you don’t act like it-”  
  
“It’s easier for people to assume I am harmless,” Oliver’s tone is deadly serious. “It is to protect myself. I know how much I am worth to these hunters,”  
  
“And I just assumed you were pissing them off, I had no idea-” Fernando says, folding his arms and looking impressed. “You can hide your true power, can’t you?”  
  
“I can, I have to protect myself,” Oliver says, his tone still serious. “Even against other wolves,”  
  
“I would have protected you, had I known what you were,” Fernando says softly, eyes locked on the alpha’s. “I would have ensured your safety,”  
  
“I know that!” Oliver mutters, biting his lip. “I just...I can’t trust anyone, because of what I am,”  
  
“You can trust me,” Fernando whispers. “You can trust me, Oliver. You’re like a son to me,” He swipes his hand over Oliver’s wrist, his eyes flashing red for a moment.  
  
Oliver doesn’t say anything. He worries his lip as he glances at the door, sensing Alex’s anger curling up from behind it. “He’s angry at me, isn’t he?”  
  
“You and he have ever really seen eye to eye, have you?” Fernando says, quirking an eyebrow.  
  
“I pushed him away…”Oliver says, eyes resting on the door. “It would be dangerous for me to lead the hunters to him, for us to be seen together,”  
  
“You’re smarter than you pretend to be, aren’t you?” Fernando asks, smirk on his face. But it soon drops as Oliver tries to pull himself to his feet, swaying slightly. “Where are you going?”  
  
“I have to find my pack,” Oliver says, eyes glowing red for a moment.  
  
“You need to rest, Oliver. Most wolves don’t survive one packmate dying, let alone four. It’s a miracle you’re still alive right now,” Fernando says softly.  
  
“I need to know if Sergey and Artem are still alive,” Oliver mutters, blinking his eyes as though to stay awake. Fernando presses the young alpha back onto the couch as his eyes whip up, narrowing in the direction of the door. He can hear Alex’s hushed, angry whispers.

  
“I need to-” Oliver whispers, his face falling against the soft cushion. “Sergey, Artem-”  
  
Fernando furrows his brow as he watches the alpha slump against the cushions in exhaustion. “We will find your pack, young one, I promise,” He whispers to the wolf before he ruffles his hair one last time and leaves the room, leaving the door slightly ajar.  


* * *

  
  
“What is going on with you and Rowland, Pierre?” Alex snarls as soon as Pierre closes the door behind him, the young alpha feels his hackles rise - he can feel the anger radiating off his co-alpha and his walls rise immediately. He can feel Alex tugging on their bond - trying to slip into Pierre’s mind but he slams the door shut and watches Alex flinch, his shoulders falling for a moment.  
  
“We’re old friends, I knew him when I was human, when he was human,” Pierre says, defensively. He can spot Stoffel behind Alex, his arms folded, closed off, his blue eyes fixed on his mate.  
  
“Rowland has never being human, Pear,” Alex says, eyes narrowed. “He’s a white wolf - they’re born that way,”  
  
“You’re lying,” Pierre says, frantically shaking his head. “You’re lying, he was human when I knew him,”  
  
“I’m not lying, Pear,” Alex continues in his calm tone, which only serves to draw a growl from Pierre’s lips. He feels like he’s been cornered - Mitch is behind Alex, his face drawn up in worry, Sean is hovering nearby and Antonio’s hand is laced in Stoffel’s. Pierre can feel the hurt and betrayal radiating from Stoffel as his mate closes down the bond between them.  
  
“He was human! You didn’t know him, Pierre! Not like I did!” Alex finds himself snarling, his emotions bursting forth.  
  
“What?” Pierre says, stumbling back at the brief vision of a young Oliver - with those familiar bright blue eyes and a mop of blonde hair, before its snatched back by Alex. “No, no, he can’t be-”  
  
“He’s a born wolf, Pear. His family are one of the oldest wolf bloodlines. I’m sorry but he was a wolf the entire time,”  
  
“No, no,” Pierre shakes his head. “He wouldn’t do that to me-”  
  
“Because _Ollie_ would never do anything to hurt you!” Stoffel’s voice snarls, cutting Pierre off. The anger hits the alpha and he flinches at the sensation - Stoffel radiates hurt, anger and jealousy, his bright blue eyes darkened with emotion.  
  
“Stoff-” Pierre begins, his mouth suddenly dry.  
  
“He touched your mark, I felt his desire towards you, Pierre,” Stoffel hisses, tears collecting in the corners of his eyes. “You’re letting some wolf who lied to you for your entire life take precedent over your own pack, over your own _family,_ ”  
  
He can hear Antonio’s whimper at the side of him at the sound of his yell - Stoffel never shouts, never has reason to, but the anger pours off him in waves. Pierre is overwhelmed by it - by the hurt and the anger pouring from his mate, letting out a short whine of his own. He thinks about Oliver, about him slumped over with the dark marks decorating his arms, thinks about how different he is to the boy that he remembers. “I’m not choosing anyone, he needs help, he’s just lost half of his pack-”  
  
“And he’s already thinking about taking my mate!” Stoffel screams, face turning red with anger. “You’ve only had eyes for him for the last few hours, Pierre!”  
  
“He was hurt! He might not survive this, Stoffel!” Pierre screams back, pushing a hand through his hair. “I can’t believe you’re being like this!”  
  
“Like this? Like this?” Stoffel spits back, Antonio whining as Stoffel wrenches his hand away. “You’re cosying up with another alpha in there, an alpha who has put his paws all over you, Pierre! And you just let him! You just let him put his filthy-”  
  
“That’s enough, Stoff,” Fernando’s voices cuts off the angry beta. His face is stoic, his eyes flashing dark red as they look between the sparring couple before they settle on Alex. “You must control your pack, Alexander,” He says in a calm, controlled voice before his eyes fall on Stoffel. “I understand you are upset about these things, but your bond with Pierre cannot be broken. As powerful as Oliver is, he cannot break a mating bond,”  
  
“But-” Stoffel says, eyes glowing blue.  
  
“You have to put this anger behind you, all of you. Oliver needs your help right now, we have to track down the rest of his pack,” Fernando says, his tone still one of calmness. “He will die if he loses all his pack, I have no doubt. Even a wolf as powerful as he is cannot take such a dreadful loss,”  
  
Pierre is the first to yield. “What do we do?” He asks, eyes on the older wolf. “How can we help?”  
  
“We need to track down his pack, we need to go within his territory. I’m assuming that they’ve managed to break through his protections,” Fernando casts his eyes over to the door. “We have to assume that his pack are still in Oliver’s territory,”  
  
“How many members of his pack are left?”  
  
“Two,” Fernando says quietly. “He has two betas left,”  
  
Alex winces at the tone. It’s full of hurt and disgust - killing a pack is frowned upon, even within werewolf communities and hunter ones. “We have to go and find them,”  
  
Fernando levels him with a look. “You can’t go anywhere, Alexander,”  
  
“What-” Alex says, hackles immediately rising up, his eyes fixed on the older wolf. “I’m one of the best trackers here-”  
  
“You’re also what they desire, Alexander. You’re a black wolf. They want you, you’re valuable to them,” Fernando says gravely.  
  
“But I-”  
  
“Why are you all of a sudden interested in Oliver?” Stoffel’s harsh voice pipes up. “You were ready to rip his throat out earlier, Alex, now you’re wanting to help him find his pack,”  
  
“It’s the alpha code,” Pierre says, his arms folded, red eyes on his mate. “Alex and I are bound to help another alpha in need,”  
  
“Exactly, the code states-”  
  
“I don’t care what the code states,” Fernando snarls. “You’re not going to Oliver’s territory and that’s final, Alexander,”  
  
However, as Alex is about to open his mouth and argue against the alpha’s words when he watches the alpha freeze, eyes narrowed as the front door is wrenched open and a small slip of a young girl brushes past them all, her long blonde hair like a halo around her face. She looks like the wind could blow her over in one swoop, but her eyes - her bright blue glowing eyes - eyes that make even Alex stop in shock for a moment - fix on Fernando.  
  
“Victoria,” Fernando says softly, his eyes watching the young girl immediately make her way over to the door, wrenching it open. Pierre, frozen in the moment, startles to attention and runs over to the door but Fernando snags his wrist before he can twist the door handle.  
  
“What are you doing?” Pierre snarls under his breath at the fellow alpha. “That girl has just gone in there, she could do anything to him-”  
  
“She wouldn’t,” Fernando says, his voice a little too calm for Pierre’s liking.  
  
“You don’t know that,” Alex chips in, equally suspicious of the blonde girl they caught a glimpse of.  
  
“I do actually, she is one of his betas,” Fernando says softly.  
  
Alex scoffs. “That’s impossible, their biology makes it impossible for them to accept a bite. 99% of female werewolves die within a few hours of their first transformation, nothing to do with weakness, their biology is different to ours,”  
  
“Well, you’re looking at one of the 1%, Lynn,” A voice pipes up and Alex bristles at the sight of the blonde girl standing in the doorway, her bright blue eyes fixed on the alpha. “I’ve heard a lot about you,”  
  
“And I’ve not heard much about you,” Alex says carefully, glancing at the girl, taking in her features. She meets his gaze - her bright blue eyes fixed on him.  
  
“I’m very elusive, I guess,” The girl says. “I’m Victoria, Oliver’s beta,” She says, holding his gaze. Alex doesn’t doubt she’s powerful, she has to be to have survived the bite. “You’re Oliver’s mate?”  
  
Victoria lets out a long laugh, smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Oliver’s not my type,” She glances over towards Fernando. “It’s been a while, Fernando,”  
  
“It has,” Fernando agrees. “I thought you had left the territory, Victoria,”  
  
“Oliver needed me,” Victoria says, his tone slightly defensive. “He never calls me unless he needs me,”  
  
“Wait, you’re Rowland’s beta?” Alex says with narrowed scarlet eyes. “But you’re a girl?”  
  
“Thank you for reminding me,” Victoria says, rolling her eyes. “You’ve only just noticed?”  
  
“You’re not supposed to exist,” Alex says with suspicion.  
  
“Neither are you, black wolf,” Victoria cuts in, her arms folded. “Yet here you are, I’m just here for my alpha, that’s all,”  
  
“Why weren’t you with your alpha in the first place?” Alex asks, eyes still fixed on her.  
  
“It’s complicated between us,” Victoria snaps back, suddenly losing her cool. “We don’t need to rely on one another, Alexander. Our bond is strong as any other between an alpha and a beta, but we don’t need to be near each other to consolidate it,” Her blue eye flare brighter - and Alex feels a shiver climb up his spine at them. A groan curls through the air behind her and she turns on her heel darting into the room. Oliver still remains slumped on the couch, looking pale and exhausted but as soon as he feels the warm hand brush against his skin, his eyes jolt open.  
  
“Vic,” He slurs out, eyes glassy as they focus on the girl before him. “Vic,” He seems to brighten as she cups at his cheek, wincing at the sweat pouring from her alpha’s brow. “Vic, what are you doing here? You’re not safe,”  
  
“I had to come and find you, I felt the flares, I felt the connections break,” She whispers to her alpha, her hand moving to stroke through the fluffy blonde-brown hair. Oliver’s blue eyes lock on her, full of grief and anguish. He leans into her touch, tears leaking out of the corners of his eyes.  
  
“Vic,” He whispers back, his hand curving around her wrist. Her eyes fall on the dark marks seared into Oliver’s arm, looking black and painful. “Vic, they’re gone,”  
  
“Ollie,” She mutters back, her fingers tracing over the marks as Oliver closes his eyes, leans into her.

  
She allows her alpha to fist one hand into her sweater, the other curling over the silver mark branded into the back of her neck as she whispers soft words against his mussed hair. Her heart breaks as she feels the tears against her neck, hears the sobs rip through the air. Oliver cries for his fallen pack, for the pain of his bonds ripped away too soon. Victoria’s hands move through his hair slowly, siphoning some of the pain away from her alpha. It breaks her heart to feel his pain, to hear his sobs against her shoulder. She rubs over his shoulders, feels his pain tear through her chest and it brings tears to her own eyes.  
  
“We’ll find them, I promise,” She whispers, bumping her nose against his hair. He takes in the scent of her, tears still falling down his cheeks. Her heart beats calmly against his ear, thudding in a steady rhythm to reassure him that she’s still here. “We’ll find Artem and Sergey, Ollie, I promise,”  
  
“But what if-” Oliver whispers, his eyes flashing between the bright blue and the deep red - they’re an interesting contrast, his hands clinging to his beta.  
  
“Don’t think like that. I can still feel their bonds,” Victoria whispers, her eyes shining as they remain locked on her alpha’s. “We’re part of the Rowland pack, there’s not anything that we can’t do,” She says, cupping Oliver’s cheeks, her thumbs rubbing over the stubbled skin as she feels Oliver’s hand press over her pack mark, the silver rune glowing in the light.  
  
“Thank you,” He whispers, a small smile clinging to his face.  


* * *

  
  
“You going to explain what the hell is going on?” Alex snarls, eyes turning on Fernando as Victoria disappears back into the bedroom where Ollie is. He hears Pierre fight back a snarl as Jenson moves forward, clasping at the alpha’s wrist to stop him from following the slip of a girl into the room.  
  
“We don’t have time to explain everything right now, Alexander,” Fernando says, eyes locked on Jenson. “We have to move quickly, we need to find the rest of Oliver’s pack,”  
  
“Who is that girl? How does she know Ollie?” Alex asks, completely ignoring the older alpha’s words.  
  
“Like I said before, she is his beta. They have a complicated relationship - they do not have a conventional alpha-beta bond. Victoria is more of a free spirit, she does her own thing but she always comes when Oliver calls her,”  
  
“I don’t understand,” Pierre cuts in, his eyes dark and deep. “How is she able to do that?”  
  
“They share a unique bond. I didn’t understand it before but now it makes perfect sense - he’s a white wolf, his biology is different to other wolves,” Fernando says, eyeing the door. He can hear every word exchanged between the alpha and the beta on the other side - but he chooses to ignore it. Alex is annoyed, it’s evident in his stature, in his closed off demeanor and in his glowing red eyes.  
  
“I don’t like this,” He admits, his eyes locking on the door. “I don’t trust him, and I certainly don’t trust her,”  
  
“It’s not about trust, Alexander. If it were you in this situation, and you’d been torn apart, half of your pack gone, wouldn’t you want a bit of help? I’m sure if it were you, Oliver would be demanding that we begin looking for your pack immediately,”  
  
Alex’s nostrils flare for a moment. “But-”  
  
“We will separate into two groups,” Fernando says, his voice maintaining its calm persona. “I will head the first group. We have to assume that they were ambushed at their own territory, that the hunters managed to hack through Oliver’s protections,”  
  
“But how could they do that-” Pierre asks, with wide eyes.  
  
“Takes time and a lot of patience,” Fernando says. “But it is possible,”  
  
“So they could break through our protections? Through yours?” Alex says with worried eyes. “He could have lead those hunters straight into our territory,”  
  
Fernando shakes his head. “It takes months to break the sigils drawn down. These hunters knew about Oliver. They will have planned this for months - they didn’t know that he would run to you,”  
  
“So what do we do now?”  
  
“Sean will remain behind with Oliver,” Fernando begins, ignoring the low growl that comes from Antonio, the snarl from Alex blocking his beta’s worry out.  
  
“Sean is not staying here with an alpha he doesn’t know,” Alex spits angrily. “He’s coming with us,”  
  
“Oliver needs medical attention - in case he loses another alpha, Sean is the only other person trained to do that. Besides, there will be hunters and possibly rabid betas. I’m not bringing Sean into that. Also, he needs to remain somewhere in case Richie turns up,”  
  
“Yet you’ll leave him with an alpha who has already shifted once already and is deeply unstable!” Alex bites back.  
  
“I would stay with Sean,” Jenson’s calm voice floats through the anger and hostility.  
  
Fernando nods once before continuing. “I would take you Alexander, Stoffel and Antonio. Mark would take Mitch in the other group with Pierre, Nico, Lewis and Kimi,”  
  
Alex opens his mouth to protest being separated from his mate but Fernando continues, “Having two alphas in each group is beneficial. Besides, Oliver’s house is deep within his territory, we need to travel lightly as to not arouse suspicion. I think that they are probably still there with the wolves trying to get information on where they are,”  
  
“So what now?” Pierre asks softly.  
  
“We will take the west of the house,” Fernando says. “And Mark will take the east. I’m thinking that they might set us a trap, they will know that Oliver has gone for help, they might have left the betas there to entice him back,”  
  
“Isn’t there a chance that they’ve been set free?” Pierre pipes up.  
  
“In that case, Sean and Jenson would be at home. Their alpha’s scent would prove to be an insatiable desire towards them and they’d come to our territory anyway, where the hunters could not reach them,” Fernando says carefully. “I assume Victoria will want to stay with Oliver,”  
  
“You should never assume, Fernando,” Victoria’s voice cuts through the silence. She stands in the doorway, her blonde hair shining in the light. “I want to track my pack,” She stalks forward, eyes locked on the alpha.  
  
“Your alpha needs you, Victoria,” Fernando says, his brow furrowed.  
  
“I am the best tracker in this house,” Victoria replies, meeting his gaze. “I could locate my pack in less than ten minutes, I know my territory well,”  
  
“I know that. But Oliver needs you. Antonio here is a proven tracker,” Fernando’s eyes flicker over to Antonio, feeling the flicker of anger flare up from Alex for a moment.  
  
Victoria’s icy blue eyes settle on Antonio for what seems like a lifetime. “We could track my pack together, have them home before Oliver even wakes up,”  
  
“You’re not taking my packmate anywhere,” Alex snarls, his hackles rising.  
  
“That’s a good plan, only I’m not staying,” A familiar voice cuts through the tension. Oliver stands in the doorway. He sways slightly, only to be supported by Victoria who does not look happy at all that her alpha is upright. “I need to find my pack,”  
  
“You need to be in bed resting, Oliver,” Fernando says, eyes flickering up towards the alpha - towards the white wolf. “It’s a wonder you’re still alive,”  
  
“I always liked proving people wrong,” Oliver grins widely. He still looks gaunt, his face drawn up in exhaustion but just being near his beta seems to be brightening his blue eyes. “Please,” He says, blue eyes lock with Fernando’s brown. “I have to find my pack,”  
  
“Oliver, please consider this,” Fernando says. “You need to think about yourself,”  
  
“I am thinking about myself,” Oliver replies, his eyes flashing deep, dark red. The flare of power that erupts from the alpha catches everyone off-guard - it serves as a reminder of how powerful Oliver truly is. “Please,” He whispers, his gaze locked on Fernando.  
  
“Very well,” Fernando says, sighing. The glint in Oliver’s red eyes is there to stay and no amount of persuasion will remove that.  


* * *

  
  
Alex feels uneasy. He’d felt uneasy since he’d shifted into his wolf form, glancing back to see Sean watching him on Fernando’s porch, Jenson at his side. Jenson’s red eyes are locked on Fernando and Mark’s retreating forms, Sean’s hand finding his own in support. Alex feels the unease build as they quickly make ground over Fernando’s territory, as they reach the border. The protections that Fernando has in place fall away and Alex feels exposed. He thinks about the dark marks decorating Oliver’s arms, tries to imagine himself with such marks - he can’t picture any of his pack as reduced to nothing more than a burnt scar on his arm - it would kill him.  
  
_You okay?_   Fernando seems to sense his thoughts, his voice nudging against Alex’s thoughts. Alex huffs once - he hates Fernando’s ability to sense his distress sometimes - as they reach the borders of Oliver’s territory, the protection hanging in tatters. Oliver whimpers under his breath - his white fur gleaming under the silver moonlight. Alex is taken back by how _beautiful_ Oliver is as a wolf - he’s breathtaking. Alex can believe that he’s in high demand, that the hunters want this wolf to themselves, Alex has never seen anything like him before.  
  
_Remember the plan._ Fernando instructs. Alex resists the urge to roll his eyes - he and Oliver have been relegated to reconnaissance, something about protection whilst Fernando leads most of the rest of the pack forward towards the house. Alex can sense Oliver’s annoyance at Fernando as they’re separated from most of their pack - Antonio and Victoria working together beautifully to track the scent carefully lifted from Oliver’s flank. Jenson is stoic as he leads the alpha pair through the woods towards the house in which Oliver’s pack live. The lights are all switched on and a thin curl of smoke is drifting from the chimney. It looks almost innocent - and Oliver moves forward towards it, sniffing the air cautiously.  
  
_It doesn’t smell right._ He says quietly, eyes locked on the house before him.  
  
_I think they’re still there, they’re waiting for you._ Mark says, glowing red eyes fixed on the curl of smoke. _They’re waiting for you to return._  
  
Oliver lets out a low growl. _I’m going to rip them limb from limb._  
  
_Oliver._ Mark’s warning voice echoes through the silence. _Remember the plan._ _  
_ _  
_ The alphas spot Fernando and the rest of the pack scoping the area - moving closer towards the house, sniffing at the air. Fernando will lead the attack when they situate which rooms Artem and Sergey are in. Antonio signals towards the back of the house  and Alex feels the swell of pride as Fernando fixes his eyes on the smaller wolf, nodding once. The wolves can hear laughter inside the house - the laughter of the hunters still sitting in Oliver’s house, amongst the pack that they have killed - Alex feels the growl bubble past his lips. However, the laughter seems to intensify and a pained growl floods through the air. Alex watches Oliver stiffen at his side - watches the alpha’s eyes go blank, his lips pinned back in a snarl.  
  
_Oliver._ Markmutters with urgency. _Calm._  
  
But another scream tears through the air and Oliver lets out a snarl, howling out as loud as his lungs will let him before he barrels down from the protection of the woods down towards his house. Alex finds himself following the white wolf.  
  
_Artem!_ Oliver screams out, another howl pushing from his lips as he moves closer to his house, closer to the loss and the death - it overwhelms him for a moment, all the hurt and the pain, the bonds broken - it hurts, it hurts - like silver pressing against his skin. Oliver can hear Fernando’s barks for him to stop, but he can’t. Artem’s in trouble and Oliver can’t lose anyone else - he doesn’t want Artem to become a dark mark seared into his arm. He barrels through the front door of the house - snarling as the pain floods over every sense, as the bond between himself and Artem bends with pain. The laughter intensifies again, gunshots suddenly filling the air. The growls of Fernando’s pack rumble behind him but none of that matters to Oliver in that moment. He’s only focused on finding his packmate - he dispatches the hunter with the gun quickly, the hunter’s lithe body is no match for Oliver’s alpha form, his claws sinking into the hunter’s chest as the light falls away from his eyes, the shotgun falling from his fingers. Any other day, Oliver would feel guilty for killing another human being, but he thinks about the rest of his pack, about how they were shown no mercy, how they were slaughtered and a lowly growl tears from his throat as he watches the blood drip out of the dead hunter’s chest, glassy dead eyes staring back at him. But he spots one of his pack - Sam - Sam who was so full of life on the floor behind the hunter, her brown hair splattered with blood, her eyes dead and lifeless - it hurts, it _hurts_ -  
  
_Oliver!_ Fernando’s voice calls out, calls him out of his thoughts and he glances back at the alpha with the silver and brown coat, the one who is staring back at him with deep red eyes filled with pity. _We have to remain calm. There will be a pack of hunters._

Another scream tears through the house and Oliver jumps to attention, a snarl tearing itself from his lips. Fernando follows him though as he runs in the direction of the scream, in the direction in which the pain is coming from - the bond between Oliver and Artem bends and stretches precariously as Oliver lets out another howl. Alex follows after the pair, a snarl erupting from his lips. He skids into the lounge - only to find Fernando and Oliver poised, hackles raised. Alex soon sees why. Oliver’s betas, Artem and Sergey, are slumped against the wall, covered in blood. Artem - the is in worse shape - his eyes are closed and he’s leaning heavily into Sergey who is whimpering slightly. But there’s three hunters standing over them - one of them holding a crossbow, armed with what appears to be silver-tipped arrows - one of them holds a gun to the two snarling wolves in the doorway.  
  
“Well, well, boys,” The one with the crossbow drawls out. “Looks like we’ve drawn out the white wolf and it seems he’s got himself some friends,”  
  
“I knew your plan would work, Kyle,” The one in the middle scoffs. “Killing all the betas to render it weak,”  
  
Oliver growls under his breath.  
  
“I will enjoy killing you, white wolf,” The one with the gun says, his steel grey eyes locked on Oliver. “I will enjoy the prosperity you will bring to my family, I am going to kill you and use your flank to decorate my wooden floor, to show off to all my other friends that I was I who killed the white wolf, wiped out its entire pack. Kill the remainder of his pack, Kyle,” He instructs the man with the crossbow. The man - Kyle’s fingers tighten over the trigger of the crossbow as he takes a deep exhale. Artem lets out a dull whine, almost pleading, like a cry for help. Oliver snarls in response and dives forward as Kyle pulls the trigger on Artem. The hunter with the gun fires round after round but none of them seem to bother Oliver as he slams into the human, throwing him to the floor.  
  
“John!” One of the other hunters screams out, trying to fire his own weapon in desperation as John’s screams turn into a wet gurgle, his hands which struggled against the white fur slump off to the side as Oliver raises his blood-stained muzzle, snarling in the direction of the other hunters. Kyle raises his crossbow towards Oliver but Alex slams forward, howling out and barrelling into the tall man, knocking the crossbow out of his hand. Alex barely remembers anything else - he barely remembers the wave of anger hanging over him as he feels the blood against his nose, as he hears the screams die away. The final hunter shivers at the sight of three enormous alphas - their betas not far away, various colours glowing in the dim moonlight.  
  
“Please,” he whispers. But Artem whines under his breath, fighting for air, an arrow buried in his chest as he struggles, slumped against Sergey. There is no mercy for him. He screams but it’s nothing compared to the screams that Oliver had heard, the screams of his pack as their lives were ripped away from them. The blood stains Oliver’s white coat as the screams die away into nothing as the hunter falls to the floor, dead. Oliver turns on his heel and immediately goes over to where Artem and Sergey are slumped. He noses at his betas with a dull whine, willing them to be okay. They answer with low exhausted whines, voicing their displeasure at his blood-stained snout. Oliver licks over both of his beta’s snouts, licks over every inch of their faces that he can. Victoria finds her way through, the small blonde wolf immediately running over to Sergey and licking his face, his arm curling around her as she licks in desperation.  
  
“Oliver,” Fernando’s voice cuts through the silence, through the hurried breathing. He’s shifted back to human - as the rest of the collective pack search through the rest of the house, scope out the area. Oliver growls lowly as Fernando approaches - his hands up as though he’s surrendering - “hey, I’m here to help,” He says softly as he drops down before the blood-covered betas.  
  
Oliver huffs under his breath, his tongue still cleaning the blood away from Artem’s face. He looks suspiciously at Fernando but he allows the alpha to move in closer, to carefully begin examining the two betas for damage. His scarlet eyes lock on Alex’s for a moment before they move back to watch Fernando carefully. His eyes never leave his betas and Alex knows that feeling, knows how much Oliver needs that right now. He keeps his distance feeling the rest of his own pack fold into his side, everyone’s attention on Fernando working on helping the two distressed betas, on the remains of Oliver’s pack curled up together.  


* * *

  
  
Sean and Jenson are waiting on the porch when they arrive back at Fernando’s house. Alex’s pack had run ahead in order to warn Sean of the injuries to come - Alex had felt a little unnerved watching his pack disappear in the woods but within five minutes, Mitch had sent warmth down their bond to let Alex look they were back in Fernando’s territory, back within the strong protection. Alex and Fernando managed to get Oliver’s car working and bundled the remains of his pack into the back seat, Alex’s eyes darting into the mirror to glance at Oliver and Victoria curled around their bloody and beaten alphas. It makes Alex’s heart ache - he knows how they feel, there’s been times when he has had to do the same for his betas - and it doesn’t get any easier. He whines under his breath as they pull up into the driveway. Oliver startles awake as he glances up at the house and back down to Artem. He’s shifted back but he hasn’t said a word since - it’s strange to hear Oliver silent for once, Alex thinks as Oliver slowly undoes his seatbelt. He insists on carrying Artem and Sergey into the house - despite Fernando’s protests - finally slumping down next onto the couch. Fernando and Sean jump into vet mode fussing over the two betas - for what seems like hours, patching up their wounds with careful hands. Alex can feel the tiredness seeping into his bones, can feel the exhaustion creeping in. He knows the rest of the pack is asleep - Mitch is curled up against Pierre and Stoffel - but he can’t sleep, he can’t bring himself down from the events of the day just yet. He finds himself outside on the patio, looking up to the moon, trying to imagine a dark mark on his skin instead of his packmates by his side.  
  
“Hey,” A familiar, tired voice pipes up behind him.  
  
Alex’s hackles rise for a moment as he spins around to see Oliver’s tired blue eyes staring back at him. “Yeah?”  
  
“I want to thank you for all your help today,” Oliver says softly. “You could have kicked me to the kerb, but you didn’t,”  
  
“No alpha deserves to lose his pack,” Alex replies, eyes fixed on the moon. The sky is dark blue, littered with stars. It’s beautiful. Alex hates that Oliver would lose half his pack on such a beautiful night.  
  
“I can’t believe I’m still alive,” Oliver admits, his own gaze looking up at the moon. “I didn’t think I was going to make it,” He says, his fingers dancing over the dark marks on his arm.  
  
“You’re stronger than I gave you credit for,” Alex finds himself saying. “I’m sorry,”  
  
“For what?”  
  
“That you’ve lost half of your pack, I’m sorry that you had to go through that,” Alex says quietly.  
  
“I know, Lex, I know,” Oliver replies.  
  
The silence stretches out between them for a moment. The two alphas revel in the silence.  
  
“So apparently we’re a big deal?” Oliver says, a small smile on his face. “Can’t believe you’re the black wolf,”  
  
Alex opens his mouth to reply when he feels a wave of annoyance wash over him, one of his pack bonds lights up and tingles as the loud slam of a car door echoes through the silence. Alex feels Richie’s rage before he sees the smaller banshee, looking rather annoyed as he stomps up the front steps of the patio.  
  
“What the fuck are you playing at?” Richie hisses under his breath. “I thought you’d died or something, my bonds were going crazy-” However, he suddenly stops talking, jolting as though someone’s poured a bucket of cold water over him.

Alex has seen the expression before - he remembers seeing it when Stoffel’s eyes had landed on Pierre - when they had recognised that they were mates. He realises who Richie is staring at - his green-blue eyes staring straight at Oliver. The electricity seems to crackle between the pair and Alex knows it’s pointless to intervene.  
  
“Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding me,” He snaps, shaking his head.  



End file.
